Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward, knocked out of a loss on Sunday with a concussion, vowed to play in the team's next game Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

And Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP, lashed out against the NFL's policies that prohibit quick returns by concussed players.

"It's football. You get your bell rung," Ward said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's my body. I feel like if I want to go back out there, I feel like I should have the right.

"If I don't stumble (in Sunday's loss), I'm right back in the game, but prideful me, I'm trying to get off the field quick. I should have laid there another minute or so."

Ward was hurt after being hit by two Patriots players in a 39-26 loss to New England. It appeared that Ward was dealt helmet-to-helmet contact.

Last year, the NFL imposed new rules that require players to pass a battery of tests and be cleared by an independent doctor being returning from a concussion.

Ward was critical of being held out of the game on Sunday night, and said team officials kept him on the sidelines because of NFL guidelines. But he insisted he was able to play.

Ward had a streak of making a catch in 186 straight games snapped in the loss.

-- Sean Leahy

Crash

11-17-2010, 02:13 AM

Atta boy Hines. Make it all about you.

Where was your pride when you sat out the rest of the AFC title game with a banged up knee?

LordVile

11-17-2010, 02:36 AM

well at least he wanted to practice what he preached to Ben when he got concussed against the Chefs..

Crash

11-17-2010, 02:49 AM

He has no choice but to say that now.

But the media should have asked him why he sat out the AFC title game against the same team.

But they won't, because he gives them good copy.

Steelers&gt;NFL

11-17-2010, 09:01 AM

Hines Ward rules!!! Great competitor. Great football player. :Clap

He will be missed by all, when he is done. And the time is coming soon. :cry:

feltdizz

11-17-2010, 09:54 AM

Why didn't the media ask Hines why he sat out the AFC title game against the same team after getting injured?

8)

ikestops85

11-17-2010, 01:57 PM

Media: Hines, why didn't you go back into the game when we played the Ravens for the AFC Championship?

Hines: I tried but Ben tackled me and cuffed me to the bench. He didn't want a guy with one good leg out on the field trying to run a pattern.

Okay --- it's been asked and answered.

hawaiiansteel

11-17-2010, 08:33 PM

Ward practices, feeling fine

By Teresa Varley - Steelers.com

Wide receiver Hines Ward, who normally doesn’t practice on Wednesday, was a full participant this week on Wednesday. Ward left the Patriots game with what Coach Mike Tomlin called a concussion, but said he is fine.

“I’m good. I took the concussion test, passed it,” said Ward. “They want to keep an eye on it. I am going to go out there and practice and take it one day at a time. I feel fine. I don’t have the symptoms they think I should have.”

Ward wanted to return to the game on Sunday night, but the NFL’s rules protecting players with concussions didn’t allow him to. While he said he would always be upfront about any concussion symptoms, he also said it’s not something he worries about at this point.

“Until I get a defined answer with all of the stats of guys having injuries post-career, I won’t worry about it,” said Ward. “Who is to say one concussion is worse than three concussions. Until you tell me that, I am going to keep playing football.”

* * *

Coming off a disappointing loss to the New England Patriots the Steelers know that they have to pick it up this week against an Oakland Raiders team that won their last three games before having a bye last week.

“We need to focus more on the details,” said linebacker James Farrior. “Everybody needs to know their job and pay attention to everything that is going on in practice so we don’t have those types of mistakes we had last week.

“I think we are a good team. It’s up to us to focus on the job at hand. This week it’s the Raiders. They are playing as well as any team. They are hot right now. We are going to have our hands full.”

Farrior did say, though, if the play doesn’t improve this week that maybe some changes are necessary.

“When you don’t perform, things have to change,” said Farrior. “You have to go with the guys who are playing good. If we don’t improve, then things are definitely going to change. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had some changes.”

* * *

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is looking to take on a new role, that of a vocal leader in the locker room.

“Being a leader for me, I have never been a rah-rah guy,” said Roethlisberger. “I will pull a guy aside and talk to him. It’s always been about actions for me. It’s time now maybe, at this point of the season, to transition to being more of a vocal guy than lead by example.”